


Cold Comfort

by Narlth



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Canon Era, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-13
Updated: 2015-12-13
Packaged: 2018-05-06 12:53:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,264
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5417792
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Narlth/pseuds/Narlth
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Arthur’s an idiot and Merlin gets left out in the cold.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Cold Comfort

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Smcstrav](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Smcstrav/gifts).



> Prompt: hypothermia  
> For your request of Merlin Hurt/Comfort. :)

Merlin crossed his arms over his chest, resisting the urge to shoot some sort of retort over his shoulder. Arthur was such a prat as to order Merlin out in the snow to collect some sort of fancy goblet he had had commissioned.

Scowling, as he headed through the castle, Merlin was sure a dark cloud would be hovering over his head if his magic was allowed free reign.

He made a quick detour to his own room to grab a second jacket, but as he stepped out into the cold courtyard he wondered how effective the extra layer even was.

He waved to one of the guards on duty as he make his way out of the city gates, the man in question bundled up under multiple layers against the snow and biting wind.

Off of the main pathways, the snow was incredibly deep, forcing Merlin to slow down lest he trip over some hidden obstacle. The further away from Camelot he got the harder the snow seemed to fall, quickly dusting his clothes and hair in a blanket of white.

The way was a familiar one, somewhere he had been before, but in the hazy of the ever falling snow, places once known were suddenly not. Halting in his tracks Merlin swung his head around taking in his surrounds and trying to pinpoint where he was and where he needed to go.

Holding back a shiver, Merlin blew on his hands trying to instill any amount of warmth into his pinkening fingers.

Setting off forwards again, he hoped he would stumble back onto the known way.

Five minutes later and Merlin was even more lost than he was before, the fog of white over taking everything. The cold had started to leach away his strength, so seeking the blob of darkness Merlin stumbled over, hand flying out to support his weight against what turned out to be a tree.

Taking a moment, he allowed himself to sag, pulling his jacket tighter about himself.

He sank against the tree, feeling the rough bark through his clothes, but not having the energy to care let alone move. He blinked trying to rid himself of the snowflakes gathering on his lashes, but finding with each blink it was harder and harder to pull his eyes back open.

He shivered feeling a damp patch at the back on his neck where some snow had snuck between the fabric of his jacket and his skin, then proceeded to melt. Merlin contemplated adjusting the fabric, but as his thoughts drifted to his hands he realised that he could no longer feel his fingers.

He stuffed his hands under his armpits, bracing against a shiver that wrecked his body.

Snow started falling heavier, and Merlin found his eyes drooping, limbs suddenly tired from having to endure against the weather. 

Letting his eyes close properly, Merlin decided he would just rest for moment, just a short one…

He had a vague recollection of sliding to the ground, so when Merlin next opened his eyes. having no idea how long it had been, but he was now lying on the ground covered in a blanket of snow.

Merlin lifted his head, feeling his joints protest, suddenly aware of how deep the cold had sunk into his bones. His whole body felt heavy, fingers clumsy against the frozen ground.

With shaking arms he tried to sit up, only to collapse before he succeeded. He let out a whimper, dropping his head to rest on one snow covered arm. Darkness clouded the edges of his vision, Merlin had the passing thought that Arthur would be angry at him for failing to return with the goblet.

The soft sounds of snow raining down, lulled Merlin back towards unconsciousness.

~

Arthur paced back and forth in his room, mouth pressed into a thin line. He had expected Merlin back ages ago, and now the sun had started to set, making Arthur worry.

Initially the king had been angry when Merlin had failed to show on time, but as time continued to tick past, the anger morphed into before becoming full on worry. Especially after he sent a servant to check in with Gaius, to make sure Merlin was just not sulking and refusing to do his job, only for them to return announcing that the physician had not seen his ward since that morning.

Arthur debated with himself over what to do, but as his eyes fell on the window, and the rapidly falling snow outside, and the decision was made for him.

Pausing only to grab his winter cloak Arthur hurried through the castle, and out into the snow. He knew the route Merlin would have taken, and without even having to think about it he set off in that direction.

Though snow had been falling throughout the whole day, the king quickly spotted the remains of what were likely Merlin’s tracks.

Arthur shivered growing colder with each minute he was out in the snow, but he pressed on knowing that if he was uncomfortable then his skinny manservant must really be suffering.

He continued on, searching his surroundings for any other sign of his servant, having to intermittently brush away the snow impairing his vision. His worry was just starting to bleed into panic when he spotted an anomaly in the blanket of white.

“Merlin!” The name came unbidden to his lips.

Arthur broke into a run, his breaths coming fast as his steps ate up the distance.

Crashing to his knees besides the anomaly, he found his fears realised as it was identified as Merlin, unconscious and half buried under freshly fallen snow.

Hands hovered over Merlin’s form, Arthur’s eyes frantically scanned the servant’s face, sucking in a sharp breath at the sight of blue lips and cheeks which were as pale as the surrounding snow.

Steeling himself, Arthur rolled Merlin over. Snow scattered everywhere, but Merlin limp in his hands, remained unresponsive, his arms flopping back to the ground. Arthur tapped Merlin’s cheek trying to gain some sort of reaction from him.

“Come on, Merlin.”

Unsuccessful, the king stripped his cloak off, and tucking Merlin close to his chest wrapped the fabric around the other’s slight frame. Merlin had been out in the cold way too long, even the most hardy of men would be suffering by now.

Rising back to his feet was a challenge for Arthur, who until now had not realised he was trembling quite so much.

“Damn it.” He grit his teeth, and forced his body to cooperate, all that mattered right now was Merlin and getting him back to the castle, he could allow himself to give into his panic later when he was alone.

The journey back to Camelot seemed to both pass in the blink of an eye and take far too long, the solid weight of Merlin in his arms a constant presence in the back of his mind.

Stumbling into the castle courtyard, he didn’t have to call for assistance as the instant a guard spotted the king with his servant he had sent someone to inform Gaius, and started forwards to help.

Hands tried to pull Merlin away from him, but the king just clung on tighter, refusing to let go. It was his fault Merlin was this way, he had to be the one to make it right again.

Shrugging off the hands he plowed forwards, up the main stairs and into the castle. The snow previously covering him melted, running tracks down his face, and between his clothes; uncomfortable and cold against his skin.

Castle citizens froze as he passed, them, but he paid them no attention, and finally, finally he reached Gaius’s chambers. Not pausing to knock, he just kicked the door open, and strode in.

“Lay him down, we need to get him warm.” The physician didn’t miss a beat, having had to the opportunity to prepare for the pairs arrival.

Arthur lay Merlin down, cloak and all, then moved back so Gaius could get close. Stubbornly, Arthur kept a grip of one of Merlin’s frozen hands, trying to warm some life into the digits with his own hands.

“What happened?” Gaius asked, voice tight and expression carefully blank.

Arthur swallowed heavily, eyes falling to Merlin’s face.

“It’s my fault, I- I asked him to go out.” Guilt pooled in Arthur’s stomach, he hadn’t thought of anyone except himself, only of what he wanted.

Gaius nodded tersely, pulling Arthur’s cloak off of Merlin, and worked to remove the rest of the warlock’s now sodden clothes.

The physician seeing that Arthur was still gripping Merlin’s hand, decided that the best thing to do would be to give the king a job to stop his mind lingering.

“Help me remove his wet clothes, so I can start warming him back up.”

They worked together in silence, until Arthur was just wrapping a second blanket under Merlin's shoulder, when the servant in question let out a quiet whimper, his eyelids fluttering.

Arthur froze, speaking gently, “Merlin?”

The response was another whimper, and washed out blue eyes peeling open. He and Arthur locked eyes for a moment, before Merlin’s eyes rolled back and he lost consciousness once more.

“Gaius?” Arthur said, worried. The physician, who had been watching what had occurred answered.

“He’ll probably remain out until we can bring his temperature up.”

“Of course.” Arthur all but dove back into his work, finishing tucking Merlin in, and burying him under enough blankets for the smaller man to almost be lost under them. The king also pulled the bed closer to the rooms fire.

Slumping back into a chair, Arthur rested his head in his hands, now that they had done everything they could for Merlin, Arthur was suddenly aware of how much he was shaking. He dragged a hand up through his hair, leaving the damp locks sticking up in all directions.

Though the room was already hot and growing hotter, Arthur found it failed to actually warm him, rather just left him sweating, whilst the chill of guilt still clung to his bones.

He listened as Gaius crossed the room, and sat down besides him, he refused to look up, not wanting to see the disappointment he was sure to find on the older man's face. But as the minutes passed he could not keep silent.

“Will he be alright?” 

“Eventually, yes. Though I expect he will fall sick from this.”

Arthur nodded, “I’ll make sure he gets all the time off he needs to recover.”

“Thank you.” They fell back into silence, and after a while Gaius went back to his work. Just because Merlin was sick didn’t mean everything else stopped.

That fact that Arthur had skipped dinner started to make itself known. Though he did not want to leave Merlin, he was starting to contemplate seeking something to eat when Merlin started to shiver.

Arthur sat up straight, eyes glued to Merlin’s face, but he did not awaken. However a pink blush started in Merlin’s cheeks making him look at least slightly better.

Though Merlin had still yet to properly wake up, Arthur felt a sense of relief. He knew that shivering was a sign that the body was starting to warm itself up. With that in mind, Arthur felt himself slump back down into his seat, it was going to be a long night.

~

Wakefulness came slowly to Merlin. His eyes and limbs feeling heavy, like he had expended every last ounce of energy and had only succeeded in regaining only a very small amount.

When his eyes finally did pry themselves open he was surprised to be met with the ceiling of their main chambers rather than his room. Opening his mouth to vocalise this confusion, the only sound he was able to make was a pathetic crack of his voice.

Regardless of this fail, however, it appeared someone had still heard him and his vision was suddenly filled with a cup. With a monumental effort Merlin pushed himself upright, the muscles in his arms all but screaming against being used.

Shakily, he accepted the cup. Downing half of it before he took any notice of who had provided it.

“Arthur!” He was able to make a sound his time, though his voice still sounded rough.

“Merlin. Glad to see you _finally_ awake.” The king said as if it was an everyday conversation.

“What happened?” Merlin asked, sinking back onto the bed as his strength waned.

“Well, Merlin it seems you thought you would take a nap in the snow, so I had to come and rescue you.” Arthur said matter of factly, crossing his arms. Merlin frowned as He searched his mind, trying to recall what had happened.

“What- but… You’re the one that sent me out!” Merlin was suddenly sat up again, mouth open in indignation. He would have said more but he was cut off by a sneeze. 

Arthur suddenly turned serious, “I’m sorry, I wasn’t thinking and I put you in danger.”

Merlin gaped at Arthur for a moment, before his expression turned blank.

“That’s right, you weren’t thinking.”

There was a beat of silence.

“But I forgive you, you prat.” Merlin offered a tiny smile at Arthur, then he lay back down. “Now I’m going to sleep. hypothermia is tiring.” He let his eyes close, and buried himself up to his nose under the pile of blankets.

“Take as long as you need to recover, Merlin.” Arthur placed his hand gently on Merlin’s covered shoulder giving it a slight squeeze.


End file.
